What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is hearing a sound—ringing, buzzing, hissing—with no outside source. Most cases are subjective, meaning only you can hear it, and the most common background is hearing loss. A leading explanation is that when the inner ear sends less input, the brain turns up neural activity to fill the gap and effectively "creates" the sound (Baguley et al., 2013).
This article is general health information and is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment. If symptoms persist, see a doctor.
When should you see a doctor?
| Situation | Why |
|---|---|
| Persistent tinnitus in one ear only | Needs checking for causes like an acoustic neuroma |
| A whooshing sound in time with your heartbeat (pulsatile tinnitus) | May have a blood vessel cause |
| Sudden hearing loss or vertigo | Conditions like sudden hearing loss need prompt treatment |
Management and treatment
U.S. guidelines (Tunkel et al., 2014) recommend a hearing test, hearing aids when there's hearing loss, and cognitive behavioral therapy for bothersome tinnitus. Sound therapy, such as background white noise in quiet rooms, can also help. Drugs and supplements aimed at tinnitus alone lack good evidence and aren't routinely recommended. Protecting your ears from loud noise is the best prevention. If tinnitus keeps you up at night, managing insomnia helps too.
FAQ
- Can earbuds cause tinnitus?
- Long exposure to loud sound can cause noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus. Keep the volume down and take breaks.
- Does tinnitus ever go away?
- It depends on the cause—sometimes it fades, often it lingers. Treatment can still make it much less bothersome.
Sources reviewed: 2026-10-25
References
- Baguley, D., McFerran, D., & Hall, D. (2013). Tinnitus. The Lancet, 382(9904), 1600–1607.
- Tunkel, D. E., Bauer, C. A., Sun, G. H., et al. (2014). Clinical practice guideline: Tinnitus. Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, 151(2 Suppl), S1–S40.